Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Summoner by Randy Massey: Interview & Excerpt

(This is the prologue to The Summoner)

It was during simpler times, when the world was younger and history had not yet been written. Traditions were passed on verbally from father to son for generations. Everyone would gather around the evening cook fires, and then tales of yore, legends of the Elder Days, and genealogies of forgotten names and times would be told. This was so no one would forget who they were or where they came from.

But of all the stories, of all the myths and legends and prophesies that came down through the years, the favorite tale of all was The Summoner. From the youngest child to the oldest great grandparent, all ears would turn to the Narrator of the Fable of the Summoner, and the End of the Dark Years, and the Final Banishment of the Evil. This is that story.

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When Raven’s family is taken captive by the hordes of the evil lord N’atax, her only desire is to rescue them before they reach the dreaded castle Axtalia. But, as she pursues them through the lands of Arth, aided by her friend Le-thon, she realizes that her true destiny could be far more than she had ever imagined. All the peoples of Arth have waited ages for the fulfillment of the Great Prophecy. Is she the one?

N'atax has released his horrible army of Boar-riders and Evils, flooding the land with destruction and despair. Their only purpose is to bring back captives for torture and death. His intent is to rid the lands of Arth once and for all of the Royal Families, thus putting an end to this foolish belief of the warrior that is to come and destroy him!

So, he thought, it is true. The time has now come! The Summoner has arrived!

Delton started to mumble something, but Honol signaled for him to remain quiet. Then they began the ritual of Quam Giltee. In an ancient tongue that only a few now knew, the priests spoke in hushed tones over the child. They blessed her and her parents. As the ritual was performed, the brothers constantly glanced at each other. Sparks seemed to be flying from eye to eye. Both knew the meaning of this child’s arrival to the lands and the peoples of Arth. So, it was with the greatest expectation that they waited for the name the parents had chosen for their daughter.

“Now, T-legen and Bea-Kel, we have come to the closing ritual of Quam Giltee. Do you have a chosen name?” asked Honol. The parents looked at each other, and then T-legen spoke.

“Yes. We have chosen Rea’atee. She is our little princess.”

Both priests gasped. Although Rea’atee meant “princess” in their common tongue, it had quite a different meaning in the ancient languages that they used in the ceremony. The name meant “Chosen One”. Shivers went up and down their spines! The hair on their bodies tingled with excitement. Again the eyes of the two priests met.

So, she is the One!

The very air seemed filled with the sense of expectations. Time seemed to stand still in that little ceremonial room. Honol turned to the babe in his hands, holding her up and observing her face to face. Delton stood close by. He was shaking like a leaf in the evening breeze.

She broke through the surface of the lake, and what appeared above the water was terribly wondrous and beautiful. Golden, rippling hair floated in the evening breeze. Her flashing blue green eyes sparkled and dazzled the onlookers like piercing arrows. Her skin was the purest of white like fresh mountain snow. It had a light of its own that shown from within. Her raiment was of marvelous flowing robes covered with gemstones that endlessly changed colors as she moved. The air was now filled with ripples and swirls of multiple colors like a living rainbow. Her voice went on continuously, enchanting and hypnotizing them. Her feet and lower legs could not be seen, for they were hidden by the foaming wake of her movement as she approached the shore where Raven and Le-thon stood.

Underneath, unseen by those caught in the web of her lies, was a monster terribly horrifying beyond words. She was huge, and looked like a living plant, having many trailers, roots, and shoots that hung down. She used them to propel herself through the lake, and to capture her prey. Many of her victims were still there, having been drowned while entangled in her roots. Their bodies were slowly digested to feed her hulking mass. The bits of the rotting flesh that she let fall was fed on by the tiny lighted creatures. She affectionately called them Nadols. They served her and delighted in their dance of death for all who came to the shores of her lake.

Slowly both Raven and Le-thon gave in to the trance. The Lady of the Lake was now only twenty paces away. Awestruck at her beauty and her voice of enchantment, the duo went face down into the water. Strangling trailers and shoots flowed across the surface of the lake like a swarm of living eels. They were quickly entangled in their deathly hold. Neither struggled nor put up any resistance. Even the normal fight of the body being drowned was gone as they were pulled under the surface of the lake.

Welcome!Thanks so much for stopping by and allowing me to badger you with some questions.I’m excited to find out a little about you.How did you start your writing career?

Growing up in a family of readers, and being the 5th born, I had the pleasure of older brothers and sisters that constantly read to me. I can also remember my mom taking me to the public library every couple of weeks and how mad I was when I could only take out 5 books at a time! That was nothing for me to read in 2 weeks!

I actually started writing in the 6th grade, although back then it was mostly pencil and paper! My older brother taught me how to type on an old manual typewriter and that made it much easier. High school included 4 years of English, 4 years of Journalism, and some advanced classes, including Creative Writing. I actually used a story that I wrote when I was 13 for an assignment in Creative Writing, and was not only given an A+ but the teacher read the story to the class, stating that it was “the best she had seen in a long time”.

After high school I dove into the work force, following my brother into the steel fabrication business, and have been there ever since. The writing beast slept for many years, but finally was awoken with the filming of the trilogy Lord of the Rings. Even then, it took me another 12 years to finish my first book The Legends of Arth: The Summoner. The writing beast is now alive and well, and I am currently working on the next three books in the series.

Tell us about your next release.

My next book in The Legends of Arth series is Daedalus Rises. This is about an evil field general that is mentioned in The Summoner, but not a lot is said about him. With the death of his overlord N’atax, he now becomes the main nemesis of the people of Arth. Two more books to follow are titled: Daedalus Returns and Daedalus Demise. Beyond that I currently have seven other storylines for future books in the series.

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?

It’s been a struggle: up at 4 am for work, and not home till after 6 pm. This Monday through Friday schedule leaves me little time during the week to write. I try to put down thoughts during the day, and then add them in the short time frame that is left in the evening. Weekends are more flexible, and I pick at it each day. My current goal is a chapter a week.

Do you need quiet time in order to write or do you prefer some background noise?

I find that I prefer some type of background noise, and music fits the bill very well. Classical works wonders and is one of my favorites. I have just recently found epic music on YouTube, and that stirs the imagination and drives the inspiration. Some of my most profound moments have come when listening to them.

Plotter or Pantser? Why?

Very good question! I will say “yes”, and here’s why.

I am a planner, and like to have a complete layout from beginning to end. This includes all the events, characters, timelines, maps, etc. I do a chapter by chapter outline so that each one leads into the next.

But, I am a pantser! I find that every character and action has to be fluid and not written in stone, so to speak. Sometimes changes in the later chapters force me to go back and change earlier events so everything flows together from beginning to end. As I write, filling in the corners and gaps in each chapter, I make every effort to be flexible. There really is something to be said about the thrill of an inspirational moment that a writer gets and then can drop it into a storyline, even if it means having to go back and make changes to other parts of his book! When these occur, I have found that it is an event or a character that I haven’t even thought of before.

How would you describe your writing style?

I use 3rd person, which gives me the options and varieties I need for character development and inner thoughts, scene descriptions, etc. As for the style, I like to call it the Indiana Jones style! One “cliffhanger” after another! If my readers can’t put my book down, then I feel I have done my job well. It is a pleasure when fans tells me they hate my book because they had to keep reading to find out what happens next or how do they get out of that situation. Of course, they then ask “when are you going to get the next book done?”!

Thanks so much for giving us this glimpse into creative process!

Randy Massey works in the construction industry, and is a Steel Detailer by trade. He lives in Michigan with Sharon, his wonderful wife, who has put up with him for over 35 years. They have a married daughter, Samantha, and two wonderful grandchildren: Christiana and Gabriel. Reading has always been a passion of his, following such favorites as: Tolkien, Lewis, Asimov, Herbert, and, more recently, Riordan and Collins. Loving all types of literature, with Fantasy and Science Fiction being his favorites, writing followed easily behind. He hopes his works will be enjoyed by many in the years to come.

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